


Friends in Strange Places

by HasNoName1982



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Episode Tag, Gen, Season 14 Coda, Season 14 Episode 1, Season/Series 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-30 01:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16276088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HasNoName1982/pseuds/HasNoName1982
Summary: Cas has been rescued, and everybody is down for the night, except for Sam, who needs some answers.





	Friends in Strange Places

**Author's Note:**

> I had some feelings about the way Cas' storyline happened in the season 14 premiere, so this is basically my take on what I think this character arc could be this year.

Sam stood outside of his brother’s room for what felt like forever, but what was probably only a minute or two. It was still hard to wrap his head around the fact that Dean wouldn’t be there. 

 

He took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside. Cas lay on Dean’s bed, asleep. His expression was still peaceful, but his injuries were still present. Just as fresh as they were when Sam and the crew had rescued him. There hadn’t been any change, even though it had been several hours. 

 

Sam closed the door, softly so as to not startle the angel, and cautiously approached the bed. He tapped Cas on the shoulder. He groaned, burying his face deeper into Dean’s pillows. Sam tapped him a bit harder. This time, Cas turned towards him and began blinking his eyes open, glaring at Sam the entire time.

 

“Sam,” he croaked out. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I was hoping to talk to you.” He grabbed Dean’s desk chair and pulled it around so it was facing the bed. He sat down, and rested his elbows on his knees. What he had to say wasn’t pleasant, but it needed to be said. “About what happened today.”

 

Cas sat up, discomfort written all over him. He ran a hand over his face, then cringed as he stroked his injuries. “That was foolish of me to get caught like that. And I’m sorry that you had to come save me.”

 

Sam shook his head. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I mean,” he trailed off. How was he supposed to phrase this in a way that didn’t make Cas shut down? It was still hard for him to have deep conversations with him. Dean usually did that. “Cas, you’re an angel, and you weren’t able to take down a single demon.”

 

Clearly, that wasn’t the right thing to say. Sam could see the way Cas closed himself off. “There was more than one demon, Sam. The room was full of them—”

 

Sam cut him off. “I know, and I get that. I do. But Cas, how did you not know the room was full of demons?”

 

Cas turned his face away, the anger receding. In its place, clear as day, was unadulterated shame.

 

“Cas…” Sam began, letting his worry slip into his tone. “You haven’t healed yourself, or anybody. You couldn’t see the demons’ true faces. You’re sleeping.” Cas turned further away. “I’m worried about you.”

 

The silence between them stretched on. Sam waited patiently for Cas to be honest with him. He considered briefly if he should let it go, but seeing the bruises on the angel’s face scared him. He needed an answer.

 

Finally, Cas sighed heavily and turned on the bed so he was facing Sam head on. He looked completely defeated. “There are… only twelve angels left in existance.”

 

Sam jerked away in shock. He hadn’t expected that. He knew that the angels’ numbers had dwindled, but he didn’t realize it had been that bad.

 

Cas kept talking. “Heaven is powered by the angels, and in turn, angels receive their power from heaven. The more angels there are, the more powerful we are. With so few left, Heaven is barely functioning, and most of the power the angels have is going to keeping the lights on.”

 

“I don’t, I don’t understand, you weren’t this bad before. Just a few weeks ago, you could still heal.”

 

Cas nodded. “Archangels don’t derive their powers from Heaven, but their grace still helps to maintain it. Even away from Heaven, or hidden in Hell, they provided more energy to our power grid than a normal angel ever could. But now…”

 

“They’re all dead.” Dread started to fill Sam to his very core. “But Michael—”

 

“I don’t, i don’t know. He doesn’t seem to be having effect.” Cas shook his head, tears glistened at the corners of his eyes. “Maybe, because he’s not from our world, but I don’t know. This is all new territory for us.”

 

“So what does that mean for you? Are you, are you human now?”

 

Cas shook his head. “I’m still an angel. But,” he looked down at his feet. “I can feel my grace dwindling. Without the archangels, or more angels,” he shook his head again. “At this point, it’s a waiting game until Heaven is completely gone.”

 

Sam’s stomach clenched in fear. He had so many questions: what did this mean for the souls in Heaven. What would happen to everybody when they died now? Would they go to Hell? The Empty? What about Bobby and Charlie, and his dad? Was there any way to save Heaven?

 

But at the moment, he had more pressing concerns. “If Heaven is gone, what does that mean for you? Will you become human again?”

 

Cas’ face fell, his lip quivered and a single tear slipped down his cheek. Sam had never seen the angel cry before, and he didn’t like what that meant.

 

“It doesn’t appear that will be the case.”

 

“But you can’t know that for sure—”

 

“I can feel it, Sam,” Cas interrupted. He looked so defeated, so broken. “I started to really feel it after Gabriel died, but after Lucifer." He stopped himself and took a deep breath. Then he tried to offer the hunter a small smile. "My grace is draining away, and once it’s gone, that’s it.” He swallowed a lump in his throat. “I’m dying, Sam.”

 

Sam could only stare at him as he let Cas’ words sink in.


End file.
